This document discusses weight loss programs and provides information on clinical and non-clinical programs. It notes that non-clinical programs can be run commercially and involve following a program independently, while clinical programs provide services in a healthcare setting involving licensed professionals. Both types aim to help people lose weight and maintain lifestyle changes through nutrition education, physical activity, and behavior therapy.

3. ealth experts agree that you may gain health
benefits from even a small weight loss if:
◆ You are considered obese based on your body
mass index (BMI) (see BMI chart on page 3).
◆ You are considered overweight based on your BMI
and have weight-related health problems or a family
history of such problems.
◆ You have a waist that measures more than 40
inches if you are a man or more than 35 inches if you
are a woman.
A weight loss of 5 to 7 percent of body weight may
improve your health and quality of life, and it may
prevent weight-related health problems, like type
2diabetes. For a person who weighs 200 pounds, this
means losing 10 to14 pounds.
Even if you do not need to lose weight, you should
still follow healthy eating and physical activity habits
to help prevent weight gain and keep you healthy
over the years.

4. MI is a tool that is often used to
deter i e whether a perso ’s
health is at risk due to his or her
weight. It is a ratio of your
weight to your height. A BMI of
18.5 to 24.9 is considered
healthy, a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is
considered overweight, and a
BMI of 30 or more is considered
obese. You can find your BMI
using the chart below, and you
can also see the weight range
that is healthy for your height.

5. • o lose weight you need to take in fewer
calories than you use. You can do this by
creating and following a plan for healthy
eating and a plan for regular physical
activity.
• You may also choose to follow a formal
weight-loss program that can help you
make lifelong changes in your eating
and physical activity habits. See page 6
for more information on weight-loss
programs.

6. • t may be hard to stick to a weight-loss diet that
limits your portions to very small sizes or excludes
certain foods. You may have difficulty making that
work over the long term. Instead, a healthy eating
plan takes into account your likes and dislikes, and
includes a variety of foods that give you enough
calories and nutrients for good health.
• Make sure your healthy eating plan is one that:
• ◆ Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and
fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
• ◆ Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs,
and nuts.
• ◆ Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol,
salt (sodium), and added sugars.
For more specific information about food groups and
nutrition values, visit
http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/.

9. we age we tend to lose lean muscle
mass, which is a condition known as
sarcopenia. Resistance training helps
maintain and combat the loss of muscle
mass by increasing muscular fitness. This
form of training can also prevent
osteoporosis by augmenting bone mineral
de sity. What’s ore? Regular resista e
training can decrease the risk of heart
disease by lowering body fat, decreasing
blood pressure, improving cholesterol, and
lowering the stress placed on the heart
while lifting a particular load. Improving
muscular fitness is very important for
enhancing quality of life.

15. • There are two different types of weight-loss programs—clinical and nonclinical. Knowing what a
good program will offer and what to look for may help you choose a weight-loss program that
will work for you.
• What it is: A nonclinical program may be commercially operated, such as a privately owned
weight-loss chain. You can follow a nonclinical program on your own by using a counsellor ,
book, website, or weight-loss product. You can also join others in a support group, worksite
program, or community-based program. Nonclinical weight-loss programs may require you to
use the progra ’s foods or supple e ts.
• What a safe and effective program will offer:
• ◆ Books, pamphlets, and websites that are written or reviewed by a licensed health
professional such as a medical doctor(M.D.) or registered dietitian (R.D.).
• ◆ Balanced information about following a healthy eating plan and getting regular physical
activity
• ◆ Leaders or counsellors who show you their training credentials. (Program leaders or
counsellors may not be licensed health professionals.)
What type of weight loss program are
available
Non-clinical program

16. • ◆ If a program requires you to buy pre-packaged meals, find out how
much the meals will cost—they may be expensive. Also, eating pre-
packaged meals does not let you learn the food selection and cooking
skills you will need to maintain weight loss over the long term.
• ◆ Avoid any diet that suggests you eat a certain formula, food, or
combination of foods for easy weight loss. Some of these diets may
work in the short term because they are low in calories. But they may
not give you all the nutrients your body needs and they do not teach
healthy eating habits.
• ◆ Avoid programs that do not include a physical activity plan.
• ◆ Talk to your health care provider before using any weight-loss
product, such as a supplement, herb, or over-the-counter medication.

18. What it is: A clinical program provides services in a health care setting, such as a
hospital. One or more licensed health professionals, such as medical doctors, nurses,
registered dietitians , and psychologists, provide
care. A clinical program may or may not be commercially owned.
Clinical programs may offer services such as nutrition education, physical activity, and
behaviour change therapy. Some programs offer prescription weight-loss drugs or
gastrointestinal surgery.
Prescription Weight-loss Drugs
If your BMI is 30 or more, or your BMI is 27 or more and you have weight-related health
problems, you may consider using prescription weight-loss drugs. Drugs should be used
as part of an overall program that includes long-term changes in eating and physical
activity habits. Only a licensed health care provider can prescribe these drugs. See
Additio al Readi g for ore i for atio a out pres riptio edi atio s for the
treatment of obesity.
Bariatric Surgery
If your BMI is 40 or more, or your BMI is 35 or more and you have weight-related health
problems such as diabetes or heart disease, you may consider bariatric surgery (also
called gastrointestinal surgery). Most patients lose weight quickly. To keep the weight
off, most will need to eat healthy and get regular physical activity over the long term.
Surgery may also reduce the amount of vitamins and minerals that are absorbed by
your body. The rapid weight loss as a result of bariatric surgery may also cause
gallstones.

20. • U.S. Department of Agriculture. Choose My Plate. Go to
http://www.choosemyplate.gov.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration Centre for Food Safety and Applied
Nutrition. How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label. November 2004.
Available at
http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm2
74593.htm.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Physical Activity
Guidelines for Americans. October 2008. Available at
http://www.health.gov/PAGuidelines.
• National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, National Institute of Diabetes and
Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH). Diabetes
Prevention Program. DHHS. NIH Publication No. 09–5099. 2008.